Apparatus and method for moistening yarn or other thread



H. J. SCHMlTZ Oct. 17, 1961 APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR MOISTENING YARN OR OTHER THREAD 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed 00t- I6, 1959 FIG.

mmvron HENRY J. SCHMITZ ATTORNEY Oct. 17, 1961 H. J. SCHMITZ 3,004,365

APPARATUS AND METHOD F OR MOISTENING YARN OR OTHER THREAD Filed Oct. 16, 1959 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 III:

INVENTOR. HENRY J. SCHMITZ ATTORNEY United States Patent 3,004,865 APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR MOISTENING YARN OR OTHER THREAD Henry J. Schrnitz, Lake View Drive, Box 24, Lake Neepauiin, NJ. Filed Oct. 16,1959, Ser. No. 846,831 23 Claims. (Cl. 117104) This invention comprises novel and useful yarn-conditioning apparatus and, more specifically, relates to a device for conditioning, moistening and/ or tinting of yarns of natural or synthetic fibres and, at the same time, providing proper tension to an upwinding yarn strand, as the same is wound upon a cone, cylindrical tube, or the like on a yarn winding machine, as an improvement over the apparatus of the Schmitz Patent No. 2,781,021, dated February 12, 1957.

More specificaly, the present invention relates to a novel and improved apparatus for moistening, tinting and/or treating yarns with chemical liquid spray, While under atmospheric pressure and temperature in a conditioning chamber. t is generally useful in conjunction with textile manufacturing processes since the added liquid provides a twist setting and strengthening of the yarn strand, or, when a colored tinting dye is used, the various yarn types can easily be distinguished by their different colors and thus prevent mistakes in the further yarn handling.

By spraying special chemical liquids on the yarn my process can be further used for softening, lubricating, waxing, mildew-protection or sterilizing of yarns. As the same time the wet processing of yarn in this apparatus eliminates to a large extent the usual spreading of dust and lint in the working area, since the yarn is cleaned of all loose particles of this kind while passing thru the apparatus, and the use of such cleaned yarn results in cleaner yarn cones and other shapes of yarn bodies.

Since the yarn or other thread is moistened before entering a built-in tensioning device, the usual yarn breakage is largely reduced because the conditioning liquid serves at the same time as a lubricant. By the use of my invention, a precise adjustment in the amount of added liquid and the adjustment of proper tension in the up- Winding yarn strand by means of an adjustable yarn tension brake may be obtained, making it possible to regulate the density of the developing yarn body.

A primary object of my invention is to provide a device for conditioning, moistening and tinting of yarns and controlling of the yarn tension during winding processes of the same in an improved manner.

Another object of the invention is the provision of a slotted vertically-mounted transparent moistening chamber wherein treating liquid is sprayed by a solid cone liquid sprayor pneumatic atomizing nozzle in a 90 angle to a vertically passing single yarn strand, while the yarn enters the conditioning chamber thru a hole in a bottom drain pan and a hole in the shell bottom, which is big enough for proper clearance and can be up to 40 times as big in diameter as the yarn strand, and leaves thru a hole which is equal or bigger in diameter than the bottom holes.

A further object of my invention is to provide apparatus wherein the yarn or other thread is automatically fed into self-cleaning apparatus where it will be uniformly treated by having a constant, but adjustable, length of thread exposed to a solid cone, as distinguished from a hollow shell, of liquid spray.

A still further object of my invention is apparatus into which yarn can enter between lead-in lips without frictional damage and wherein, at the same time, the slot between those lips is so constricted that it prevents the liquid from escaping.

An additional object of this invention is the use of a hinged transparent dust cap, which provides, by a spe* cially shaped edge and a correspondingly shaped edge on the top of the apparatus, a yarn lead slot, said edge being extended to provide a guide into a slab catcher.

These and other objects and advantages will become apparent from the following detailed description when taken with the accompanying drawings. ilt will be under stood that the drawings are for purposes of illustration and do not define the scope or limits of the invention, reference being had for the latter purpose to the appended claims.

In the drawings, wherein like reference characters denote like parts in the several views:

FIGURE 1 is a vertical sectional view on the lines II of FIGURES 2 and 4 in the direction of the arrows, parts being shown in elevation.

FIGURE 2 is a top plan of the apparatus shown in FIGURE 1.

FIGURE 2A is a vertical elevational view of the slub catcher, from the right of FIGURE 2.

FIGURE 3 is a horizontal sectional view on the line III HI of FIGURE 1, in the direction of the arrows.

FIGURE 4 is a vertical sectional view on the line IVIV of FIGURE 2, in the direction of the arrows, parts being shown in elevation.

FIGURE 5 is a bottom plan view of the apparatus of FIGURE 1.

FIGURE 6 is a view correspondnig to FIGURE 3, but showing a modification.

FIGURE 7 is a view corresponding to FIGURE 3, but showing another modification.

FIGURE 8 is a view corresponding to FIGURE 3, but showing a further modification.

Referring to FIGURES 1, 2, 2A, 3, 4 and 5 of the drawings in detail, there is shown apparatus for process-' ing yarn and other thread 10, comprising a conditioning chamber generally designated 11. This chamber con sists of a lower section or drain pan 12, a transparent intermediate body section or shell 13, an upper section or top 14, and a transparent cap or cover section 15, pivotally mounted on the top 14 as by means of pins 16. The top desirably carries a boss 17 apertured for receiving means (not shown) for supporting it from an associated yarn or thread-winding machine, which may be of a conventional type and which is not fully shown.

The shell 13 desirably has a hollow boss 18 extending laterally therefrom and generally midway between top and bottom thereof. In the boss is seated a nozzle 19, desirably of the precision solid cone liquid spray type and with a filter 21, or a pneumatic atomizing nozzle. The nozzle 19 is thus positioned approximately midway between top and bottom of the conditioning chamber shell, opposite the yarn-guide-in-slot, to form a solid cone of atomized liquid spray. The nozzle sprays into the conditioning chamber with a certain spray angle. The intensity of the spray is regulated by liquid pressure, nozzle orifice diameter, or in case an atomizing nozzle is used, by changing the air pressure,

In order to provide for axial adjustment of the nozzle 19 with respect to the boss 18, the outer edge of the latter is not in a plane normal to its axis but, rather, slopes axially or is helically shaped, as indicated at 22'. The nozzle carries a pointer 23 traveling over numerals 24, which may be engraved on the outer cylinder surface of the boss to indicate the position of the nozzle. Turning the pointer, while holding its shank in engagement with the sloping edge of the boss, causes the nozzle to move toward or away from the axis of the shell 13, to correspondingly adjust the amount of spray directed on thread being treated.

The means for supplying liquid to the nozzle 19,

through what may be a flexible conduit 25 and a union 7 the conditioning apparatus. Upon this platform may be mounted an electric motor, such as there designated 40 or. other suitable source of power, which is connected with a liquid circulating pump. The intake of the pump is immersed in a quantity of the liquid in a tank and with which the yarn or thread is to be treated, and the outlet or discharge side of the pump connects with the flexible conduit 25. a

The delivery pipe from the pump may also be provided with a manual discharge valve which controls the pressure in the system by bleeding some liquid into a drain pipe connected with the interior of the tank. A liquid drainage pipe and return conduit 27 connected with the drain pipe 28'depending from the bottom of the pan 12, is provided to discharge into a tank, as in the apparatus of the patent referred to. It will thus be seen that liquid may be continuously circulated, being forced by a pump into the nozzle and the excess returned to a tank by the drainage conduit 27.

The yarn or thread is wound from a bobbin (not shown) through the conditioning device 11 by means of a yarn or thread winding machine generally designated as 30, which may be conventional, parts being illustrated in FIGURE 1. A vertical section of the thread 10 between a bobbin or other source of supply (not shown) and the winding machine 30 is what .is treated in the combined treating, conditioning and tensioning device 11 of my invention, while thread 10 is pulled therethrough. Such thread first passes into a thread-guide 29. This, as shown in FIGURE 5, has a spiral portion '31 from which extends a pintle or pivot member 32. This pintle passes through and is pivotally mounted on a lug 33 depending from the bottom of the drain pan 12.

Mounted on said pintle is a compression coil spring 34 acting between the lug 33 and a stop member which may be a collar 35 held on the end of the pintle 32 in any desired manner, as by means of a cotter 36 or other similar device. The part of the lug 33 engaged by the spiral 31 is notched, as indicated at 37, whereby the thread guide 29 is urged by the spring to stay in either the position shown by full lines in FIGURE 5, where it serves for counterclockwise unwinding of the thread 10 from a supply bobbin or, upon turning, as by hand, it will tend to stay in the dotted position illustrated in said figure where it serves for clockwise unwinding of thread from a bobbin. The thread 10 from said source of supply first passes between the outer turns of spiral 31 and, because of the movement of the thread, is drawn to the center of the spiral in line with a central or axial opening 38 in the drain pan 12.

The drain pan 12 has converging walls or lips 39 extending from the periphery and terminating in the axial aperture 38, whereby the yarn or thread may be threaded into the chamber 11, by dropping it against the left edge of the top 14 (FIG. 2), whereupon it is then automatically guided thereby to said aperture. Said pan also has an upstanding peripheral flange portion 41 of a size to snugly receive the lower end portion of the shell 13. The bottom wall of the drain pan 12 has its upper surface sloping, as indicated at 42, to drain all liquid re ceived therein, as from the arcuate opening 43 in the bottom of the shell, to the drain pipe 28.

The shell 13 also has corresponding inwardly converging walls or lips 44 terminating in a thread-receiving axial opening 45, coaxial to the opening 38 for continuing the guidance of the thread through the chamber. The yarn lead-in lips in the conditioning shell 13 are at their closest spacing about to apart. The oppositely located nozzle 19 sprays against this slot, but no liquid escapes from the shell because the sprayed-on liquid 4 provides a steady flow down in said slot and thus seals off the conditioning chamber from the outside. The conditioning chamber is desirably made from transparent material such as a plastic, to make it possible for one to observe what goes on inside. 7

The lower wall 46 of the shell 13 having the opening 45 at the extreme inner end of a slit 40 bordered by an upstanding peripheral boss 50, also carries an upstanding boss 47 which may be separate or integral therewith and circumferentially continuous except for having a slot in its side to receive the threadwhich passes between the guiding lips 44. That lower surface 70 of said lower wall 46 diverges or flares downwardly and deflects all liquid away from the opening 38 and the slit 40 therein which leads to said opening, thereby guiding any liquid, which runs thru said slit or opening, away from the corresponding slit and opening 38 in the drain pan 12 therebeneath, to avoid loss of liquid from said pan other than that which is drained out of the pipe 28.

Slidably mounted on the boss 47 is a vertically movable sleeve 48 carried by a rod '49. The upper end of said rod is threaded, passes thru the bottom wall 51 of the top member 14, and continues thru an upstanding boss 52 on said bottom wall. A knurled nut 53 is shown threadably mounted on the upper end portion of this rod for adjusting the position of the sleeve 48 to correspondingly vary the length of the thread 10 exposed to the liquid spray. An adjustable upper limit stop member, as in the form of a nut 54 threaded on said rod 49, is provided to avoid raising the sleeve 48 above the top of the carrying boss which may be a hollow cylindrical member 47 with lower end embedded in the bottom wall 46, or to an undesired extent.

In order to allow for further adjustment of the amount of spray which reaches the thread 10, I provide a shield 55 carried in the shell 13, as by means of posts 56 secured to said shell by screws 57 and to which the shield is secured as by means of screws 58. This shield is desirably generally concave inwardly, with an outer peripheral portion bent out, as illustrated most clearly in FIG- URE 1. It has a central generally circular aperture 59 thru which the spray from the nozzle 19 is directed, the peripheral or outer portion of said spray being cut off by the shield. As the nozzle 19 is moved outward, more and more spray is cut otf by the shield, and the reverse efiect is obtained as it is moved inward.

The top member 14 has the bottom surface of its lower will 51 sloped, as viewed most clearly in FIGURE 1, so as to flush liquid and dust accumulating thereon toward the right-hand portion of the wall of the shell 13, as viewed in FIGURE I, from whence it drains down to the disposal pipe 28. This sloping bottom portion is formed as a plug which fits the top of the shell 13. The upper edge of said shell is desirably overlapped on two sides by depending lugs or flange portions 61, desirably carrying connecting means. Such connecting means are shown in this instance as friction balls 62, spring pressed inwardly to engage in corresponding outwardly opening pockets or notches in the shell 13. The shell 13 may, in turn, be connected to the pan 12 by pins 60 or the like passing thru the flange 41 thereof and on into receiving pockets in the lower wall 46 of said shell.

The lower wall portion 51 also desirably carries a liquid removing device 63, preferably in the form of a hollow cylindrical fibrous member or wick thru which the thread 10, after being treated passes on its way to the aperture 64 for the removal of excess liquid or droplets. This aperture is also formed in a boss 65 projecting from the upper surface of the wall 51. The aperture 64 is axial of the apertures 38 and 45 and is formed at the inner ends of a thread-receiving slit 66. The portions defining said slit are continuations of the threadguiding surfaces of inwardly converging walls or lips 67. Said guiding surfaces are generally coplanar with those of the lips 39 and 44.

There is applied to the upper end of the boss 65 a liner 68 over which the thread is guided after it passes thru the aperture 64. This liner 68 may be made of porcelain or other material having a very smooth, hard wearing surface. After passing over the liner 68, the thread is drawn between tensioning discs 69 and 71, forming a thread-tensioning device to insure winding under controlled tension. Said discs are mounted on a pin 72 upstanding from a boss 73, projecting from the lower wall 51 of the top 14. The amount of tension provided by these discs, which have fiat, hard, thread-engaging surfaces terminating in curved flanges projecting from one another, is varied by the application of one or more weights 74 in the form of flat discs with central apertures receiving the pin 72.

After passing thru the adjustable tensioning device, the thread passes below the wall 75, t.. lower edge of which serves as an upper guide therefor, and above the upper edge of the upstanding wall 76 of the top 14, which serves as a lower guide for said thread, prior to its passing between the upper and lower jaws 77 and 78 of a thread cleaner or slub catcher 79. The slub catcher 79 is desirably formed of hard steel, with smooth thread-engaging portions for removing loose particles of material including lint, and secured to the top 14 as by means of screws 81.

After passing thru the slub catcher 79, the thread is wound up on a core 32 turned by a driving roll or winder 83 mounted on a drive shaft 84 of the winding machine 30. Proper winding of the thread on the core 82, and on the thread body which builds up on said core, which is driven by frictional engagement with the power-operated driving roll or winder, is ensured by any desired means, such as a conventional oscillating thread-guiding arm 85 thru an aperture 86 in which the thread passes. As an alternative, said arm may be omitted and the driving roll of the winder provided with a level winder groove, such as designated by the reference character 18 in the Schmitz patent previously referred to.

It may be desirable to use my apparatus to process cotton threads or strands to impregnate them with resins, or treat them with chemicals such as the phosphorus compound known by its initials as APO and referred to in the article beginning on page 114 of the October 1959 issue of Readers Digest, entitled Drip-Dry, Wash- Wear and Other Cotton news, condensed from Farm and Ranch, September 1959 issue, by Lloyd Stouffer. If such treatment is effected, of course all the parts of the conditioning apparatus are formed of glass, stainlees steel or other material not attacked by the chemicals employed.

It may also be desired to heat-treat or iron out the thread or yarn as it emerges from the apparatus. Such a heating or ironing device may, for example, be built into the lower tensioning disc 69, in the form of a resistance-heating coil 99 disposed thereunder. Such a coil may be supplied with heating power by means of lead-in wires 101 and 102, connected to binding posts 193 and 104, respectively, which may, in turn, be connected in any suitable manner thru a temperature-limiting switch (not shown) to a suitable source of electricity (not shown).

Referring now to the embodiment of my invention illustrated in FIGURE 6, there is shown the employment of thin lips 44', of rubber or similar flexible material, the inner ends of which engage one another, as indicated at 40, as an alternative to the employment of the lips 44 providing the slit 40 of the first embodiment. By the employment of such rubber lips, the outer ends of which may be secured to the adjacent portions of the shell 13' by means of screws or other fastening means 87, loss of liquid between said lips, the inner ends of which lie close to the thread guiding aperture 45, is prevented, as after pasage of the thread they come together to engage one another and seal the space therebetween.

vIn the embodiment of FIGURE 7, there is a further modification in that the lips 86 between which the thread passes on its way to the shell 89, corresponding with shell 13 of the first embodiment, open at a selected angle of, in this instance, about 90 to the axis of the nozzle or path of the spray therefrom, as distinguished from being directly opposite or in the line of said spray. In this way there is not as much tendency for the spray to pass out of the shell 89 and accumulation of water along the sides of the shell adjacent the slot 91 between the lips 88 is inhibited. Said slot is normally sealed by such water due to capillary action, the same applying to the continuation of the slot or slit along the bottom wall 32 of said shell 89 to the central axial aperture 91, corresponding with the axial opening 45 of the first embodiment.

Going now to the embodiment of my invention illustrated by FIGURE 8, there is shown a modification in which the lips 94 are disposed midway between the positions of those of FIGURES 6 and 7, that is, at a selected angle of, in this instance, about 45 to the line of spray. In this case, the construction otherwise corresponds exactly with that of FIGURE 7, except that there is additionally provided a flap 95 of rubber or similar flexible material, one edge portion of which is secured to one edge portion of a lip 94, leaving an edge portion 96 free to deflect inwardly to allow for passage of a thread between the lips and along the notch 97 in the bottom wall of the shell 98, which corresponds with the shell 13 of the first embodiment. Except as speci cally described, the embodiments of FIGURES 6, 7 and 8 may correspond with the embodiment of FIGURES l, 2, 2A, 3, 4- and 5.

The boss or hub 17 serves for fastening the whole apparatus to the winding machine 30. The shell 13 is separable from the so fastened top 14, as well as from the drain pan 12, whereby said shell and pan may be easily removed, for inspection, cleaning or other desired purposes, without said top.

From the foregoing disclosure, it will be seen that I have devised apparatus for treating yarn or other thread, with provision for positively self guiding the thread into a central aperture leading along the vertical axis of the apparatus, said apparatus being slotted laterally to permit easy penetration of the thread and having a tensioning device and slub catcher incorporated therewith, said tensioning device being normally covered by a cap. The streamlined interior of the conditioning chamber with all walls and bottom sloping toward the drainhole guarantees a self-cleaning of the inside of the apparatus of all loose lint and dust which is sprayed oil the yarn and drained oif by the liquid stream toward the drain.

I have also provided means for spraying with liquid a Vertical section of the thread while in an enclosed chamber with provision for adjusting the position of the spray nozzle toward or away from the axis of the apparatus and a shield associated with said nozzle whereby such adjustment thereof removes more or less of the spray therefrom, thereby providing for control of the degree of moistening of the thread.

This degree of moistening is further controlled by the provision of a vertically-movable shield which covers more or less of the axial length of the thread leaving exposed only such length which is to be subjected to treatment. Although i have described my treating apparatus in connection with means for circulating liquid from and back into a tank, it will be understood that this is not an essential part of my invention, as the liquid may be sprayed on the thread and the excess drained from the apparatus and wasted.

The vertical mounting of the moistening apparatus is of prime importance. Most winding machines, like Foster and Universal winders, with which this device may be used, have not enough room between their standard yarn tension brackets and the frame or" the winding machine to mount a horizontaliy-working moistening chamber, which could properly fulfill all purposes.

In combining the moistening device and the tensiom'ng device in oneapparatus and after removing the conventional tension bracketsfrom the winder, all the room needed for simple mounting of this combined apparatus on the existing fastening brackets is available. The vertical mounting of the apparatus makes it further possible for special purposes to extend somewhat the size of the conditioning chamber in diameter, and in length up to 10", since no obstructive winding machine parts are in the way.

The longitudinal slotting of the conditioning chamber provides for easy entrance of the thread to the center or axis of the apparatus. The lips between which the thread passes while entering may be of the same transparent material and part of the chamber wall or they can be made separate and from a more flexible material, like rubber, or the open slot can be recovered by a thin flexible rubber lid. The lips are mounted in a V or a circular form, leaving a slot of 93 5. to at their most inward parts and thus serving as lead-in lips for the thread strand.

While in one form the slot is situated almost opposite the nozzle orifice and is thus exposed to the full liquid spray it closes itself automatically, as soon as the liquid spray hits it, because capillary action or adhesion force causes the liquid to accumulate in the slot and then runs down it, forming a steady stream which seals the chamber from the outside. This liquid-seal renews itself every time after a yarn strand is inserted into the chamber.

Having now described the invention in detail in accordance with the requirements of the patent statues, those skilled in this art will have no difliculty in making changes and modifications to meet specific requirements or conditions. Such changes and modifications may be made without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention, as set forth in the following claims.

I claim:

1. Apparatus for processing yarns and other thread, comprising a conditioning chamber having a body with an axis along which a thread is to travel upward, a nozzle for spraying liquid from, and secured to, a side of said chamber on thread as it travels therethrough, means for draining excess liquid from said chamber, means for guiding thread to a receiving aperture at the axis of said chamher, said chamber being provided with a slot on one side spaced from the nozzle and extending the full length thereof to allow for initial reception of the thread and disposition in said aperture.

2. Apparatus as recited in claim 1, including a tensioning device mounted upon said chamber and through which passes the thread being treated.

3. Apparatus as recited in claim 1, wherein the means for draining excess liquid comprises a lower pan telescopiw cally receiving the bottom portion of the body of the conditioning chamber, similarly slotted to receive the thread and with a bottom wall the upper surface of which slopes toward a drainage spout.

4. Apparatus as recited in claim 1, wherein the conditioning chamber comprises a transparent shell generally cylindrical and carrying an outstanding boss on the side spaced from the slot, said nozzle being carried in said boss, the outer edge of said boss sloping with respect to a plane normal to the axis thereof and the nozzle carrying an indicating pointer movable along said sloping edge portion to adjust the position of the nozzle with respect to the axis of the shell.

5. Apparatus as recited in claim 1, wherein the conditioning chamber terminates in a top member, closing the upper end thereof, the lower wall of said top member being correspondingly slotted for thread reception, a boss upstanding from said lower Wall, a thread-tensioning de vice carried by said boss, and a cap pivotally mounted to swing over or from said tensioning device, a slub catcher carried by said top member and presenting spaced jaws through which the thread passes, the adjacent upper edge of said top member and the edge of said cap nearest thereto forming guides for said thread as it passes to the slub catcher and from there to an associated winding machine, and means for supporting said top member from said winding machine.

6. Apparatus as recited in claim 1, wherein the con verging walls defining the slot approach each other to such an extent that the liquid sprayed into the apparatus serves by capillary action as a seal over said slot.

7. Apparatus as recited in claim 1, wherein the chamber carries an upstanding hollow boss through which the thread passes, a substantially cylindrical spray deflector being carried by said boss, and means for vertically moving said spray deflector to adjust the length of thread upon which the spray is directed.

8. Apparatus as recited in claim 1, wherein there is a liquid absorbent wick member, through which the thread passes on its way out of the chamber to remove excess liquid.

9. Apparatus as recited in claim 1, wherein the conditioning chamber comprises a lower pan, the inner surface of a lower wall of which slopes to an outlet pipe for draining excess liquid therefrom, an upstanding peripheral wall on said pan, a shell nesting Within said wall, and a top covering said shell, said pan, shell and top having corresponding laterally opening flaring portions providing a slot extending from top to bottom of the apparatus and receiving a thread.

10. Apparatus as recited in claim 9, wherein there is a cap pivoted to the top about an axis normally sloping slightly from the horizontal, said cap terminating laterally short of the top section when in down position, overlying the aperture through which the thread passes, and adapted to be raised to thread-exposing position.

11. Apparatus as recited in claim 1, wherein there is a shield normally extending vertically and provided with an aperture coaxial with the nozzle for limiting the amount of spray received by the thread being treated from said nozzle.

12. Apparatus as recited in claim 11, wherein the spray nozzle is horizontally adjustable with respect to the shield by turning about its axis to regulate the amount of liquid applied to the thread.

13. Apparatus as recited in claim 3, wherein there is a boss depending from the lower pan, a self-threading spirally shaped thread guide carried by said boss, said thread guide having a pivot portion passing through said boss in a generally horizontal direction, a stop member carried by the outer end portion of said pivot member, a coiled compression spring acting between said stop and said boss to urge the pivot member in a direction to cause the thread guide to engage the other side of said boss, the engaged side having a groove receiving said thread guide to resiliently hold it against turning, whereby said guide is adapted for rightor left-hand wound spools, upon a mere reversal to the corresponding position.

14. Apparatus as recited in claim 5, wherein the spaced jaws through which the thread passes are provided with thin rubber lips which close the space therebetween after positioning of the thread.

15. Apparatus as recited in claim 5, wherein the jaws between which the thread passes are positioned to open at an angle to the axis of the spray nozzle.

16. Apparatus as recited in claim 5, wherein the adjacent edges of said spaced jaws are normally closed by a flexible flap to prevent egress of liquid Lherebetween.

17. Apparatus for processing yarn and other thread, comprising a conditioning chamber, the axis of which is normally vertical and along which axis the thread is to travel, said chamber consisting of a lower pan with upstanding peripheral walls and from which an outlet pipe depends, the inner surface of the-lower wall of which slopes thereto for removing excms treating liquid, a thread guide situated beneath said pan for insuring that thread from a supply thereof is directed to the axis of said chamber, a shell thereabove fitting said upstand- 9 ing walls of said pan section, a supply nozzle mounted on the side of said shell for directing a liquid spray transversely of said shell, a top covering said shell, said pan, shell and top having corresponding laterally opening flaring portions, providing a slot from top to bottomof the apparatus for receiving the thread, a slub catcher carried by said top, a cap pivoted to the top section for catching dust and mist, While guiding the thread to said slub catcher, and means for mounting said apparatus on a conventional yarn winding machine for taking the thread from said slub catcher.

18. The method of treating material, such as yarn and other thread, with a liquid while under approximately atmospheric pressure, comprising drawing said material through an elongated channel, narrowly con stn'cted at each end but with a clearance for free passage of said material, spraying liquid upon said material from a side of said channel, while passing it therealong, removing excess liquid from the bottom part of said channel, and removing the excess liquid from said thread as it passes from said channel.

19. The method of treating as recited in claim 18, wherein the amount of moisture applied is adjusted by spraying through an aperture in a shield and adjusting the distance of the spray with respect to said shield.

20. The method of treating as recited in claim 18, wherein the amount of moisture applied is adjusted by covering the material being treated to an adjusted extent by a sleeve movable axially thereover.

21. Apparatus as recited in claim 1, wherein there is a thread-tensioning device carried adjacent one end of said chamber.

22. Apparatus as recited in claim 1, wherein the chamber carries a substantially cylindrical spray deflector movable along its length to adjust the length of thread upon which spray is directed.

23. Apparatus as described in claim 1, wherein means is provided overlying the slot to minimize egress of liquid therethrough.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,583,844 Kochendorfer et al May 11, 1926 2,351,110 Davidson et al. June 13, 1944 2,415,683 Folco Feb. 11, 1947 2,460,390 McDermott Feb. 1, 1949 2,536,208 Nystrom Ian. 2, 1951 2,781,021 Schmitz Feb. 12, 1957 2,808,805 Tesmer Oct. 8, 1957 

1. APPARATUS FOR PROCESSING YARNS AND OTHER THREAD, COMPRISING A CONDITIONING CHAMBER HAVING A BODY WITH AN AXIS ALONG WHICH A THREAD IS TO TRAVEL UPWARD, A NOZZLE FOR SPRAYING LIQUID FROM, AND SECURED TO, A SIDE OF SAID CHAMBER ON THREAD AS IT TRAVELS THERETHROUGH, MEANS FOR DRAINING EXCESS LIQUID FROM SAID CHAMBER, MEANS FOR GUIDING THREAD TO A RECEIVING APERTURE AT THE AXIS OF SAID CHAMBER, SAID CHAMBER BEING PROVIDED WITH A SLOT ON ONE SIDE SPACED FROM THE NOZZLE AND EXTENDING THE FULL LENGTH THEREOF TO ALLOW FOR INITIALA RECEPTION OF THE THREAD AND DISPOSITION IN SAID APERTURE. 